Pneumatic shoe-sole



(No Model.)

J. P. BASGOM. PNEUMATIC SHOE SOLE.

No. 586,155. Patented July 13, 1 97.

@LWow ag TERS co. mmoumb" WASNKNGYON n c JULIA F. BASCOM, OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE, WVISOONSIN.

PNEUMATIC SHOE-SOLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 586,155, dated July 13, 1897.

Application filed August 17, 1896. serial N0. 602,929.

(N 0 model.)

T0 ctZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULIA F. BASCOM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of South Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Shoe-So1es; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, description thereof.

My invention relates to pneumatic soles for shoes and analogous articles of footwear; and

it consists in certaln peculiarities of construction and combination of parts, as will be fully set forth hereinafter and subsequently claimed. L

In the drawings, Figure l is a representation of a shoe with my invention applied thereto, the latter being shown in longitudt nal vertical section. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my improved device ready to be applied to a shoe and partly broken away to better illustrate certain details of construction. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a shoe, a the usual sole, and b the heel thereof.

B represents the outer casing of my device, the same consisting of a heavy flexible shell conforming in general shape to the outline of the sole and heel of a shoe, as best shown in Fig. 2, and preferably formed of rubber or analogous material formed with a solid bottom and continuous side or edge and with a is preferably a continuous bead d all around the upper exterior edge of the device.

0 is an expansible sealed flat tube or bag made of soft rubber, inserted within the shell B and completely filling the same, as shown.

D is an inflating nozzle or valve communicating with said expansible tube and extending through the shell B, preferably through the vertical front wall of the heel portion, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to be out of the way in use, and which is closed by a screw-cap e. The edges of the slit are drawn together by a lacing-cord g.

The operation of my device will be readily understood from the foregoing description of its construction, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. The upper surface of the shell B is coated with any suitable rubber cement, and thereby is caused to adhere to the under side of the shoe or other article of footwear, while the described edge bead d aids in keeping the device in place and guards against twisting or sidewise strain in use. To inflate the inner tube or bag, the cap e is removed and any suitable air-pump attached to the nozzle or valve D. If the said tube or bag 0 becomes injured or broken, so that there is rated from the shoe, the said tube or bag readily withdrawn through the slit f and repairedythen replaced within the shell, the cord g again laced, and

side of the shoe.

My device may be made up in regular standard sizes and styles and very quickly applied to shoes, boots, gaiters, and the like without any change or alteration whatever in the construction of the latter and will be found to give a light springy step to the wearer and afford great relief to those having tender feet and greatly reduce the fatigue of walking.

While I have shown what I deem a simple and practical form of pneumatic sole, I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction hereinbefore set forth, as the same may be considerably varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.'

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l A removable pneumatic sole for shoes and analogous articles of footwear, comprising a shell of impervious material, having the general outline of the entire under side of the shoe, and continuously hollow from toe to heel, the top and bottom of said shell being everywhere equidistant, and with the upper surface roughened and provided with a continuous upper projecting bead along its upper edge and with the top of the shell slit between the front wall of the heel portion, and the center of the sole portion, and there provided with a lacing-cord, together with a removable expansible bag fiilling the entire shell, and an inflating nozzle or Valve communicating with said bag, and the county of Milwaukee and State of Visprojeoting through an opening in the said consin in the presence of two Witnesses.

front W 11 of the heel portion and free from 4 attaohinentthereto,allcombinedandadapted. JULIA BASOOM' 5 to operate substantially as set forth. Witnesses:

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I II. G. UNDERWOOD,

have hereunto set my hand, at Milwaukee, in I3. 0. ROLOFF. 

